Unrequited
by Oktarin
Summary: When Dave is with Jade he suddenly becomes this chivalrous knight in shining armor. He'll smile at her in a way you recognize, it's the kind of way someone smiles at the person they're in love with, and that's saying a lot because he won't smile at all for anyone else.


How do I Nepeta? Oh my god. Someone needs to stop me from writing drabbles good grief… I'm just going to leave this here…

Unrequited

You try not to but you can't help but notice all of your similarities. You lost the last boy you loved to her and you're afraid it's happening again. You love Jade. You two are best friends; you've known each other since you were little. You walk to school together, eat lunch together, and spend the afternoon in her tree house. She's like a sister to you, it's even recognized by her grandfather and your older brother. You like a lot of the same things and apparently it goes beyond nature, hunting, and colorful cartoons of cute heroes with animal ears. Sadly, you both seem to like the same boys.

You really liked Karkat. Sure he's loud and rude but you still did. You aren't sure why. Maybe it's because he's so funny and cute. Even though he really doesn't mean to be. Which makes it even funnier.

You wonder if she likes him for the same reasons.

You never told Jade, you think she might have suspected; it's not like you did a very good job of hiding it. When Karkat had asked her out, scowling and glaring at the ground as if he was angry, she had told him to wait a second. Which only made him angrier and maybe even a little hurt looking. Jade had bounded over to you, big green eyes locked with your own, and asked if you were ok with it. You had forced yourself to smile and chirped out a strained "Of course!" She didn't look like she bought it but then Karkat was grumbling about how he might as well just leave and how he was an idiot for thinking any girl would ever go out with him so you had shoved her over. It hurt knowing your best friend was dating the boy you've adored since you were little and it only seems to hurt more the second time. You guess it is different now. It's not just Karkat that is taken.

Jade is only dating him of course. She would never cheat on Karkat or any other boy for that matter. You know Jade; she's too sweet to do something like that. And you know Karkat would never do that to her, either, no matter how confused he gets. They are perfect together. You know that, and it hurts, but thankfully the pain has dulled. But he knows that too. You don't think that pain has dulled for him yet.

Dave keeps his mask up at all times, of course, but around them he seems to become stiffer, his rants longer and more complicated, his mask starts to crumble. It makes your heart ache because you _understand_; you went through the same thing and now it's happening a _second_ time. But no one else seems to notice. Jade only giggles, Karkat simply glares, and Terezi merely cackles.

It takes a lot of self-control to keep from snapping at them so you can only imagine what it's like for Dave.

You don't really know Dave. Jade has told you about him and he's also friends with Karkat and Terezi so you do know him, just not personally. He's tall and funny, especially when he talks with Karkat. Karkat hates him and Dave loves it, he pushes his buttons and harasses him. He took up Terezi's nickname for Karkat but then had a field day when he found out about yours. But he's so sickeningly _sweet_ to Jade.

He treats her right, his harsh language and words disappear when he's with her, and he even allows himself to relax a little. When Dave is with Jade he suddenly becomes this chivalrous knight in shining armor. He'll smile at her in a way you recognize, it's the kind of way someone smiles at the person they're in love with, and that's saying a lot because he wont smile at all for anyone else. He'll carry her book bag, sometimes all the way to her tree house and then he'll lounge around talking to you both. He'll hold the door open for her, save her a seat at lunch, and once he got his license as well as a car he was more than willing to drive the two of you home. He'll call her all sorts of horribly cliché names like "Sweetheart" or "Princess" and the others buy it as more of his joking around but that only makes it worse, you know he means it.

You hate seeing him suffer like this because you know he doesn't deserve it.

Then one day he offers to drive Jade home but she only smiles up at him and tells him she's fine, she's going to go over to Karkat's with him, Terezi, Gamzee, and Sollux. She already asked you to come and you turned her down. Being around her has been draining you of all of your energy, you just want to go home and cry. Jade tries to get Dave to come but he, too, declines the offer. She pouts at him but doesn't hesitate any longer before running off to get into Gamzee's big white van that has been painted purple and splattered with all of the colors of the rainbow. Then everyone's gone and it's just you and Dave.

He adjusts his backpack on his shoulder, looking to you. "Hey, Nep, you wanna' ride?" He sounds exhausted, just like you. He can't possibly want to give you a ride home; he's just doing it to be nice.

He doesn't deserve this.

Before you can stop yourself you find yourself tearing up and sniffling. "Whoa, whoa! Hey!" He says, reaching out to you but then hesitating. "Uh, c'mon Kitten, don't cry."

You sniff, wiping at your eyes. "Did you just…" You can't help but giggle. "Did you just call me 'Kitten'?"

"I wonder why," he replies, reaching up the rest of the way so he can tug at your hat. You laugh at him, wiping away the rest of the tears. "OK, seriously Leijon, what's wrong?" He continues, hand withdrawing once more. You just lurch forward to give him a hug. He stiffens at the sudden act but then he's hesitantly returning it.

You kind of wonder if he's never had a hug or if he really just feels that awkward, neither would surprise you.

Dave is tall and skinny, much taller than you, but he's the perfect height for you to press your face into his chest and unlike Equius you can actually wrap your arms around him. He smells like that horrible male perfume crap that boys feel the need to wear but underneath it is a smell that you can't describe beyond simply being _Dave_.

"I'm sorry!" You whimper, pulling back to pout up at him. You want to keep hugging him but you're standing in the middle of the school parking lot and this is really pretty awkward.

"S'OK just surprised me." He replies with a shrug. "You sure you OK now?"

"Oh," you giggle nervously. "Yeah, I'm fine! But I'm not sorry for that!" He snorts in response, lips showing the starts of one of his smirks. "I meant… well, I mean that I'm sorry about Jade…"

The smirk is gone instantly and you almost regret saying anything. "What do you mean? It's cool if she wants to go hang out with Vantas-"

"No, no, no! You know what I mean!" You huff, pouting up at him and putting your hands on your hips. "I'm not as oblivious as everyone else!"

His brows raise and you're pretty sure his eyes are wide behind his shades. "Oh really now?"

"Mhmm! You're in love with Jade!"

"Christ!" He hisses, one hand coming to rest over your mouth and the other cupping the back of your head. He's gentle about it though. "Don't just yell shit like that!" He grumbles, cheeks turning a soft pink.

You bat his hands away with a huff. "I didn't yell it!"

"I'm pretty sure everyone heard you, I'm pretty sure _Jade_ heard you and she's probably halfway to Vantas' place by now." He replies, frowning slightly.

"You're not protesting!"

He huffs at you and shrugs. "So? There's not much of a point. Yeah, I like Jade. You going to object when I say you're in love with Vantas?"

You blink at him, frowning. "Well… no, but… not so much anymore. I'm getting over it."

His mouth twitches in a funny sort of way like he wants to express something but at the same time he doesn't want to give in like that. "Hey, I'm sorry, that was kind of a low blow and I'm an ass for bringing that up."

"It's OK," you reply with a shrug. You really don't mind. "I'm the one who started it…"

You both stand there awkwardly for a moment until he finally speaks. "So… what? Do we have to swear to secrecy or something?"

You giggle. "I wont go blabbering to Jade if that's what you're worried about. And I promise not to shout it from the rooftops." You add.

"Girl, this is serious, I expect a pinky promise or it's gonna' be war."

You grin up at him, reaching out to twine your finger with his. "I promise not to tell anybody about your crush."

"Cool, I promise not to tell anybody about your thing too… But really, Vantas?" He asks.

"What?"

"'_What_?' The dude is a jerk that's what."

You roll your eyes. "Yeah but he's actually really sweet! Like you!"

"What." He deadpans.

"You're really sweet!" You huff back.

"I am not sweet. I am an aloof cool kid with a lot of angst. That's what the ladies like." He replies making you roll your eyes. "Want that ride home or what?"

"You don't have to, I can walk."

"C'mon, I want to." He replies stepping up to put an arm around your shoulders. "Just gotta' promise me that brother of yours ain't gonna' beat me up." You giggle in response leaning into his side.


End file.
